Neues » at least contend for a post-season

MOSCOW - Russia started its World Cup preparations with a 1-0 win over Slovakia in St. Adidas Shoes Sale Uk . Petersburg on Monday. The match was a largely drab affair before Zenit St. Petersburg striker Alexander Kerzhakov nodded in debutant Maxim Kannunikovs cross on 82 minutes as the Slovakian defence failed to react. Russia coach Fabio Capello picked a relatively conservative team in which the main absentee was injured captain Roman Shirokov, replaced in the starting line-up by playmaker Alan Dzagoev. Besides winger Kannunikov, uncapped midfielder Pavel Mogilevets was a late substitute. Playing at the World Cup for the first time in 12 years, Russia will take on South Korea, Belgium and Algeria in the group stage. Russias other warm-ups are against Norway on Saturday and Morocco on June 5. Adidas Shoes Clearance Sale . But luckily for the Canadian squad, one goal was all it needed. Winnipegs Sophie Schmidt scored the winner off a Diana Matheson corner kick to seal Canadas third-place spot in the Torneio Internacional de Futebol Feminino in Brazil on Sunday. Adidas Shoes Uk Online . 1 goaltender tonight when they conclude a four-game road trip versus the Winnipeg Jets. http://www.adidasshoessaleuk.com/ . Canada will host the second stop on the circuit, the 2014 Skate Canada International in Kelowna, British Columbia from October 31 - November 2, 2014 at Prospera Place. DETROIT -- Stan Van Gundy has agreed to a $35-million, five-year contract to be the Detroit Pistons coach and president of basketball operations, a person with knowledge of the details said. Detroit gave Van Gundy the powerful combination of jobs on Tuesday, the person told The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the deal had not been announced. The deal was first reported by ESPN.com. The Pistons announced in April that they were not renewing Joe Dumars contract, ending his 14-year run as president of basketball operations. Van Gundy is taking over a team that has Andre Drummond, one NBAs top young centres, and money to reshape its roster this summer. Van Gundy has a 371-208 career record with the Orlando Magic and Miami Heat. He was fired in 2012 following his fifth season with the Orlando. He stunned the Heat in December 2005 by resigning for family reasons after two-plus seasons. The Golden State Warriors might have wanted Van Gundy, who went to high school in nearby Martinez, California, to be their new coach. While the Warriors roster seems more attractive, Van Gundy is getting a rare chance to be the coach and decision-maker for an NBA franchise. Doc Rivers does both jobs for the Los Angeles Clippers. The Pistons are desperate to be regarded as relevant in the Motor City -- where theyve become an afterthought -- and hiring Van Gundy seems to be a splashy move they needed to make. Cheap Adidas Shoes Uk. Ultimately, though, Van Gundy will have to win more than he loses in Detroit, as he has in each of his eight seasons. Van Gundy has won 59 games three times, once in Miami and twice with the Magic. He has helped his teams advance in five out of seven postseasons, leading Orlando to the 2009 NBA Finals. Miami lost to the Pistons in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference finals. Detroits season has not lasted longer than the regular season in five years, its longest playoff drought since 1978-83. The Pistons won their third NBA title in 2004, early in a six-year run of reaching at least the conference finals. The Pistons signed Josh Smith, traded for Brandon Jennings and hired Maurice Cheeks last off-season and were expected to at least contend for a post-season spot. Instead, the new players didnt blend with returning players such as Drummond and Greg Monroe well enough to push the Pistons into the playoffs and coach Maurice Cheeks lost his job 50 games into the regular season. Detroit finished the season with a 29-53 record and with John Loyer as coach. The franchise is hoping it has a lottery pick next month. The Pistons will have to give their first-round pick to the Charlotte Bobcats if the selection is No. 9 or later as part a salary cap-saving trade Dumars made to get Ben Gordon off the payroll two years ago. ' ' '